BAGHDAD—Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan pledged on Thursday to strengthen security and economic ties with Iraq and urged the region to do more to help the Baghdad government rebuild after years of war.
Erdogan, the first Turkish leader to visit Iraq since the U.S.-led invasion in 2003, said both Baghdad and Ankara wanted to form a "security area that would eliminate terrorist threats between the two countries".
Relations have often been strained by Kurdish PKK rebels who use northern Iraq to launch attacks into neighbouring Turkey.
"With regards to the terrorism of the PKK, we received support from the Iraqi government ... and the regional Kurdistan government in northern Iraq," Erdogan said at a news conference in remarks translated from Turkish into Arabic.
The Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), which wants to establish an ethnic homeland in southeast Turkey, uses parts of northern Iraq as a base to stage attacks inside Turkey.
The two leaders signed an agreement to form a council for "strategic cooperation", although it was not immediately clear if any joint measures had been agreed to tackle the PKK.
"This is a historic visit ... The time is right for Turkey and Iraq to have developed relations," Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki said at the news conference with Erdogan.
Erdogan's trip is another sign the region is starting to re-engage with Iraq, where violence is at a four-year low.
"We must all help our Iraqi brothers with the reconstruction of Iraq," Erdogan said.
"I say to our neighbouring friends in the region, the future of Iraq is our future. We must increase our support."
Kuwait said on Thursday it planned to name an ambassador to Iraq soon because security had improved enough to allow the reopening of an embassy.
That follows a flurry of diplomatic activity from other Gulf Arab states. Jordan's King Abdullah is also expected to visit Baghdad soon.
No Arab ambassador has been stationed in Iraq since Egypt's envoy was kidnapped and killed shortly after arriving in 2005.
Ground Offensive
Turkey's operations in Iraq's largely autonomous Kurdistan region often draw protests from Baghdad. Ankara for its part has been highly critical of Baghdad's failure to deal with the several thousands of guerrillas holed up in the north.
Iraqi officials say the government has taken some measures, while noting it has major security challenges elsewhere.
Turkey's military launched a big ground offensive against the PKK inside northern Iraq in February, prompting concern in Washington about regional instability.
Ankara blames the PKK for 40,000 deaths since 1984 when the group took up arms. Like the United States and the European Union, Turkey considers the group a terrorist organisation.
Last September, Turkish and Iraqi officials signed an anti-terrorism deal in Ankara to tackle the PKK, although the two sides failed to agree on any border security cooperation.
Erdogan's visit also focused on economic links.
Maliki said he hoped Turkish firms would play a major role in rebuilding Iraq after decades of war and sanctions.
"Our success in challenging terror and outlaws has allowed us to move to the reconstruction and investment phase," he said.
Turkey is already one of Iraq's most important trading partners. Turkish firms and products dominate northern Iraq's economy, and Turkish state energy firm TPAO is in oil exploration talks.
Exports of oil from Iraq's northern Kirkuk fields flow through a pipeline to the Turkish port of Ceyhan on the Mediterranean. There are also plans for a natural gas link.
Turkey's trade minister has said bilateral trade between the two countries was targeted to reach $20 billion within two years, compared with more than $3.5 billion in 2007 and $940 million in 2003. Contracts won by Turkish construction firms in Iraq in 2007 topped $4 billion.
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